Men get the full wax works

Men get the full wax works

Men get the full wax works

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Naked male torso

The full works: the latest trend in male grooming is leaving London men smooth

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Shane Warne

Makeover man: will Shane Warne go the whole way and have a full body wax?

The full works: the latest trend in male grooming is leaving London men smooth

Elizabeth Hurley's continuing transformation of Shane Warne from burly, bristly bloke to sleek and shiny metrosexual has had London's female population agog.

Of course, there's a certain respect due to alpha-female Hurley for having such power over a man previously best known to us for his untameable womanising, but there's also a kind of morbid fascination as we watch this gaudy butterfly emerge, still slightly damp-winged, from his hairy chrysalis.

From his baby-chick-yellow hair to his no doubt pedicured toes, Warne is the latest example of extreme male grooming, a growing trend in the capital. And our raised eyebrows are matched by his. Not only are his devilish new arches due, some claim, to Botox, they also seem to have been thoroughly waxed. But is that as far as Mr Hurley's adventures have gone?

Possibly not. Since the London chain of waxing boutiques Strip launched its Showgirl all-body waxing treatment for women, male customers have apparently been clamouring to get in on the act.

Inspired by the hair-free bodies of swimmers and cyclists, Strip has launched The Athlete, a £265 top-to-toe waxing package for men. Lasting up to six weeks, The Athlete includes eyebrows, nose, ears, back, chest, stomach, legs, arms, underarm and of course (look away now if you're squeamish) a Brazilian or Hollywood wax.

As a Showgirl veteran, I can vouch for the forensic efficiency of Strip's waxing, and though it hurts less than you'd ever imagine, when I mentioned The Athlete to my husband, he whimpered and physically recoiled in horror. But clearly his old-school attitudes aren't shared by all chaps.

So what kind of man wants a wax? Strip co-founder Danielle Featherstone says: "About 80 per cent of our male customers are straight, and of those, half are booked in by wives or girlfriends. Most clients are over 35, and our oldest is 84. Around 35 per cent of our male clients have a Brazilian or Hollywood wax."

She adds, "Since we opened our Soho and City branches in 2010, the number of male customers has risen significantly. We offer a male-friendly space," she says. Indeed, all branches contain a men-only "Manifico" room, decorated with a James Bond theme.

As one man, who wishes to remain anonymous, says, "I've been coming to Strip for two years for a Brazilian. It looks great, makes me feel virile and my girlfriend loves it."stripwaxbar.com

And for men seeking a full Shane-over...

James Duigan at the Bodyism gym is responsible for the bodies of Hurley's ex Hugh Grant and sex-god model David Gandy. Bodyism Body Brilliant protein powders cost £60 for 20 servings. bodyism.com